We recently connected with Dii Fu and have shared our conversation below.

Dii, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

During the late pandemic, I witnessed many personal stories of my Chinese immigrant women friends struggling to balance pursuing freedom in their lives with the pressure from their parents and relatives in China. One example is the freedom of dating.

I came up with the idea of writing a rap song to reveal this conflict. I see this song as a channel to express the true feelings of common Chinese young women immigrants. I also wanted the audience I was writing for to be included as part of this artistic creation. So, I started a dating stories gathering campaign in North America. I received many hilarious but profoundly meaningful stories from these girls. Some of them told me about bizarre situations they encountered during setups by their families. Other stories were simply about inappropriate behavior on dates. I wrote my rap lyrics inspired by these meaningful stories.

This song was named “Picky Girls”.

I also wrote a music video storyline featuring three stereotypical types of girls that traditional Chinese society assigns to women: the girl who always wants to get married, the girl who is naturally attractive to men, and the girl who does not necessarily have the appearance of the typical feminine image.

Later, I recruited an all-women artists team to produce the music video based on the story I wrote. As a first-time producer and director, I managed to land this project surprisingly well. With all the help and support from these amazing female artists, the video came out exactly as I had imagined.

The music video and the song received great acceptance from the Chinese women immigrant community who originally contributed to the project, as well as many other Mandarin-speaking communities both in North America and abroad.

Dii, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Dii Fu is a dynamic multidisciplinary artist who passionately advocates for women, LGBTQ+, and other minority groups. Primarily expressing herself through songwriting and comedy performances, she also delves into visual storytelling. Her music integrates her distinctive comedic style with elements of traditional Chinese culture, creating a captivating and powerful artistic expression. A natural spotlight on any stage, Dii Fu effortlessly combines her comedic talents with her performance. Her single, Picky Girls, has been streamed over 100,000 worldwide and claimed Silver SIngle at NetEase Music.

From a young age, Dii Fu has always seen herself as a natural entertainer, with the ability to sing, perform, and make people laugh. Despite this, she dedicated much of her early years to her engineering education and career. However, her passion for art remained strong.

In 2016, she took a tentative step into the music show business, spending several years immersed in the entertainment world. During this time, she produced numerous music festivals and concerts in New York City. Her focus on project management, production, promotion, and marketing to showcase other artists on stage reignited her own artistic ambitions.

In late 2020, Dii dived into the art world as a creator and performer.

Dii Fu now sees herself as an endless pool of talents, including songwriting, singing, music production, comedy, acting, directing, graphic design, photography, sculpture, and etc. Her experiences have inspired her to explore and develop these talents further, embracing her true calling as an entertainer.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As someone with multiple minority identities—Asian, female, LGBTQ+, and living with a mental disorder—I have witnessed countless heartbreaking and unjust stories, especially since the pandemic. Educated in a very traditional family, I have always upheld the importance of a strong sense of social responsibility. I feel a profound calling to serve as a voice for minority groups, advocating for their issues and experiences. This mission is deeply personal to me, as it aligns with my commitment to fostering understanding, empathy, and social justice in a world that often overlooks these vital narratives.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I am naturally a shy person. A quick exemple: when I was three, a charming and beautiful couple took me to a carnival event. But I was too shy to hold hands with them, (By the way, they’re actually my uncle and aunt in-low), and, I got lost in the crowd. However, when I step into the spotlight, whether on stage or off, I become expressive, powerful, and magnetic. Being a performing artist allows me to reveal a stronger, sunnier side of myself. Though I often struggle with deep self-questioning and even serious depression, performing and capturing the audience’s attention, even without applause, empowers me to be the best version of myself.

I thoroughly enjoy exploring a variety of artistic media and disciplines. Whether I’m singing, writing, acting, directing, crafting, or designing, each new venture brings me a sense of natural attraction and affection for the creative world. I find immense joy in jumping between different genres and industries, as each new experience enriches my artistic journey in unique and fulfilling ways.

Creating art is a profoundly rewarding journey for me. I have much to say about this world, but sometimes words feel too plain, or I am simply too shy to speak them aloud. Messaging through lyrics, jokes, plays, and acting is my way of expressing myself. We all share many experiences and emotions, and through my art, I see people get inspired, touched, or even changed. I am spreading a new energy flow, like dispensing ice cream to people on a scorching hot day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/diifu
• Instagram: https://dii.fu
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@diifu

Image Credits

Chicken Leg (Ningyi Jiang)
Echo Chen
Yifeng Jiang
Graphic design credits to Dii